Raiders Senior Bowl BlogDay 1Al Saunders, the Raiders’ senior offensive assistant, will call plays for the North at this week’s Senior Bowl.

Until Head Coach Dennis Allen hired new offensive coordinator Greg Olson Saturday, that was the plan. And after the addition of Olson, who arrives in Mobile Sunday night, that remains the plan.

That was one clarification Allen made in leading a staff meeting Sunday afternoon in the Raiders’ area of Senior Bowl headquarters.

When he arrives, Olson will join the Raiders in capitalizing on an opportunity they don’t want to be in again, coaching the Senior Bowl. The responsibility is given to one of the teams selecting in the top five of the upcoming draft. Oakland (4-12) is scheduled to select third. The Raiders, Allen reminded the staff, will get to know players on the North team more than other teams, to better determine whether they will fit the foundation Oakland has laid. The Raiders will eat with the players from both teams and interact with North players in practices and meetings, opportunities other teams don’t have.

San Francisco, which coached in three straight Senior Bowls from 2006-08, built the core of its current NFC championship team through drafts during those offseasons.

Allen said he wants the practices run professionally, the right way. So, the Raiders staff is paying special attention to details such as reps. The Raiders aren’t going to babysit any of the players, either. Oakland’s staff expects them to demonstrate their own professionalism, by being on time for meetings, being attentive and following the directions they’re given on the field.